Top Dog: Erik Jones
This season has been the year of Toyota in the NASCAR Cup Series. Not only are the juggernaut Toyota teams having more success, but the manufacturer’s smallest team has taken a step up as well.
While the finishing results may not show it, Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones has given the No. 43 some good runs this season. He’s competed in the top 10 at Darlington Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway, and even contended for the win at Talladega Superspedway.
With a third charter on the way and music star Darius Rucker investing in the team, LMC is doing what it can to improve.
Jones had arguably his best run of the season on Sunday (May 17), scoring a third- place finish at the All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway. While not for points, it is a huge confidence booster for the No. 43 team
The Climb to the Top
After a great performance by Jones and the No. 43 pit crew during this week’s unique qualifying session, the team rolled off third for the start of the race. The great starting spot paid off, as carnage in the back during the first segment caused other drivers to have their days end early.
With around 10 laps to go in the first segment, Jones pitted under yellow, putting him mid-pack. As the race heated up, drivers got more aggressive. With less than four laps to go in the segment, Riley Herbst spun, hitting Jones in the left-rear quarter panel. Fortunately, Jones kept it straight, and despite the contact, the car seemed fine. He was credited with a 13th-place finish in the opening segment.
Jones started segment two in 14th. Through cautions and pit strategy, Jones made his way into the top five and ultimately finished sixth in the segment. His combined finishes in both segments were good enough to advance him to the final, 200-lap segment of the race.
Jones started the final segment in seventh. By the All-Star caution on lap 75, he had made his way into the top five. On the short run, Jones was fast, and on the long run, he was even quicker.
With around 120 laps to go, a stop for fuel was necessary. Cars began to pit as the run went on, but the yellow came out during the pit cycle. Fortunately for Jones, he hadn’t pitted yet, allowing him to get tires and fuel and still be ahead of the cars who had pitted under green.
With 51 laps to go, the No. 43 restarted in fourth. Jones kept up the pace and was able to capture an impressive third-place finish.
Looking Ahead
Even though the race did not pay any championship points, it is a much-needed result for the No. 43 team. Currently sitting 25th in the standings and 69 points behind the Chase cutoff, runs like today are just what Jones needs.
Looking ahead to next week’s Coca-Cola 600 (May 24) at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jones has finished in the top 20 in five of his last seven starts at the track. As for the next four tracks on the schedule (Charlotte, Nashville Superspeedway, Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway), Jones finished no worse than 13th at those races in 2025.
We may be about to see a mid-season surge from Jones and the No. 43 team.
Top Dogs of the Lower Series
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: It would be fair to call Viking Motorsport’s 2026 season a success thus far. For a team that debuted in 2024, its competitive finishes this season are impressive. However, the team’s success has mainly come from Parker Retzlaff in the No. 99. For whatever reason, the No. 96 car, driven by Anthony Alfredo, has not had the same amount of speed.
Alfredo started 27th at a track that is notoriously difficult to pass. Still, Dover is known for attrition. If the No. 96 could stay clean, Alfredo could get a good finish.
Alfredo began to climb the order at Dover (May 16), but his biggest moment of the day came on lap 60. Blaine Perkins began to spin up the track in front of him, causing the No. 96 to take evasive action, narrowly escaping an impact.
As drivers up front spun or had issues, Alfredo continued to climb up the pylon, finishing 10th to match his best season-best finish.
Alfredo’s year has been tough, missing the Daytona 500 and having misfortune in the Cup Series, but his 2026 O’Reilly Series campaign has been energized. VMS and the No. 96 continue to build, and over time, get better.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Friday (May 15) was shaping up to be a very miserable day for Corey LaJoie and the No. 10 Kaulig RAM team. After qualifying in 28th, they struggled to find speed early in the race.
After falling a lap down in the first stage, the team decided not to pit during a caution just before the stage end and took the wave-around to get back on the lead lap. When the stage ended, LaJoie was then able to go down pit road for tires and fuel.
Still struggling for speed, LaJoie was lapped nearing the end of the second stage. Being the first truck a lap down when the stage caution came out, the No. 10 got the free pass, putting the team back on the lead lap.
In the final stage, LaJoie started to make up ground. As the laps wound down, other teams were concerned about fuel and slowed down to conserve. With a few trucks running out on the final lap, LaJoie picked up more spots and finished eighth.
Despite a slow start to the season, RAM has been improving as of late. Now having consecutive weeks in the top 10, the organization continues to steadily progress.
Small Team Scheme of the Week
Is there a better combination than flames on racecars?
Jordan Tiegs Designs created a gorgeous livery for Garrett Smithley’s 300th start. The Knight Fire Protection No. 0 Chevrolet for SS GreenLight Racing was adorned with black, yellow and red racing flames.
Sad to say, Smithley’s race did not go well. A pair of spins in the final 70 laps relegated him to 31st in the finishing order.
Even so, the No. 0 shined bright among the O’Reilly Series paint schemes at Dover.
